Little Bird, Little Bird
by yensidwinters
Summary: A special moment between Arendelle's royal sisters and their mother a year before everything fell apart.


Author's Notes: I happened upon this song a few days ago and instantly had this come to mind. I advise you go listen to Little Bird, Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell either before or after reading this. ^^ Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it!

* * *

Spring had finally returned to the fjord of Arendelle. The cold winds of winter was chased away by the warming breeze that brought the promise of summer. The ice and snow that had crept down from the mountains crawled back to their rocky masters, to lay in wait once more until the spirit of winter coaxed them back down from their peaks. Soft violet crocus flowers sprouted out in patches around the shores of the fjord, a brilliant burst of color that fought the previously bleak, white canvas that had blanketed the kingdom.

It was something of a sad time for the two small princesses of Arendelle, the two girls both having a special place for winter in their hearts, but there was no denying the warming joy that came with the glorious season of rebirth.

With the afternoon sun bathing the royal castle with its golden rays, Iduna sat upon the plush cushions that covered the long seat beneath the ceiling high window. A gentle breeze blew through the open window, a soft giggle leaving the brunette as her youngest daughter bounced in her lap, the four year old child pointing at the pictures in the book she held.

"Mama! Mama! Look't! It like me and E'sa." the strawberry blonde girl cheered, pointing at the two small girls in the storybook.

"It is, isn't it?"

"Let me see! I wanna see!" the older sister in question giggled as she squeezed her way in between the window and her mother, looking down at the picture herself, only for pudgy fingers to push at her face, Anna whining all the while.

"No," the youngest sister protested as she pushed Elsa away. "T'is my story. Mama, readed it to me. Not you." A small tongue poked out from between her lips as if to prove a final point, earning a pout from the young crown princess before she too returned the gesture, blowing a raspberry at the red-head.

The display between the 'fighting' girls brought a laugh to their mother, and with a shake of her head she closed the book, laying it onto the small table beside her. "Now, Anna, that's not very fair to your sister. You have to share."

But, the small girl was hardly listening by then as a small gasp left her, her attention quickly snatched away by something behind her older sister.

"Look! Look! It's a bwirdie! E'sa! E'sa! Look!"

With the book and their dispute entirely wiped from her mind, the blonde child was quick to look over her shoulder, her brilliant blue eyes shining with glee as she looked to the small, speckled bird that sat on the adjacent roof. It watched the three for a moment, its feathers ruffling along its sides before it fluttered off, leaving the two princesses smiling after it. The three were quiet for a time, before the silence was broken by Anna.

"Bye-bye, litt'e bwirdie!"

Still leaning over the window sill, Elsa watched her younger sister for a moment before her eyes lit up. Crawling closer to her mother, the blonde princess grinned up at the Queen as she sat in front of her.

"Mama, can you sing the song? Please, please, please!"

"P'ease! P'ease!" Anna quickly joined in, knowing perfectly well as to what song her big sister was asking for, her own green and blue flecked eyes staring up at the woman.

Of course, how could Iduna ever say no to her two grinning girls? With her smile, pulling into an adoring grin, the woman gave a quiet giggle. "If I must." she teased lightly, pausing for a moment as she smoothed her dress out, gently placing Anna properly onto her lap as Elsa finally managed to crawl in beside her.

"Little bird, little bird fly through my window  
Little bird, little bird fly through my window"

Iduna held her two little girls in her arms, Anna grinning up at her as she listened to the voice of her mother, and Elsa hugging her side, her bright blue eyes sparkling with awe at the lovely melody created by her voice.

"Little bird, little bird fly through my window  
And find molasses candy.  
Through my window my sugar lump"

Her arm that held her youngest daughter gently hugged her closer, grinning brighter as the small girl giggled, leaning against her bosom as she wiggled in her lap.

"Fly through my window my sugar lump."

Her grin turned then to Elsa, holding her close as she paused in her lyrical words to press a loving kiss to her forehead.

"And find molasses candy."

A new excitement burned in both of the young girl's eyes, watching the gentle Queen as if they were both impatiently waiting for something.

"Now, who knows a bird?"

Elsa was quick to answer, the answer already sitting at the end of her tongue long before the question had been asked. "Me! Chickadee!"

"And, what does a chickadee say?" she softly asked, her gaze flickering over at Anna in light amusement at the small pout that sat on her features from having her elder sister take the answer.

"Chchchchch" the blonde child tried to imitate, both her hands held before her, fingers lightly pinching at the air before her as if they were small birds themselves cheeping for the three of them.

Giggling, a hand gently rubbing Elsa's arm, the mother of the two sisters nodded her head in silent praise.

"Chickadee, chickadee fly through my window."

Iduna began before the voice of her first-born sounded to join her own and it wasn't long before Anna's followed.

"Chickadee, chickadee fly through my window.  
Chickadee, chickadee fly through my window  
And find molasses candy."

Scooting lightly out of her mother's hold, Elsa brought her hands back out before them, crossing her hands over one another to make a small, bird shaped form, curling her fingers inwards as the 'bird' flapped its wings.

"Through my window my sugar lump  
Fly through my window my sugar lump  
And find molasses candy."

Anna's voice had faded away for a time as she stared at her hands, the tip of her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she tried to create the same shape with her hands as Elsa had. She placed one hand over the other, then the other over the first, and back again, her little brow creasing together as her lower lip stuck out in a frustrated pout. Of course, that look hardly stayed for long.

"Who knows another bird?"

Anna quickly straightened up, her head snapping up as she threw a small hand into the air, waving it about. "Me! Me!" the little girl cheered, promptly cutting off Elsa from stealing the answer once more. "Jaybwird!"

"And, what does a jaybird say, Anna?"

"Jayjayjayjay!" she giggled, bouncing and wiggling about her mother's lap as she clapped her hands together. Elsa, meanwhile, tilted her head to the side, confusion gracing her features at the odd imitation her sister gave that truly sounded nothing like a jaybird. But, their mother didn't at all seem to mind. In fact, she seemed nothing short of amused.

"Jay bird, jay bird fly through my window  
Jay bird, jay bird fly through my window  
Jay bird, jay bird fly through my window  
And find molasses candy."

Leaning against the woman's side, Elsa once more moved to place her hands into the shape of a bird before her glacial blue eyes flickered over to Anna, still struggling to copy her older sister. Without another thought, she leaned over her mother's lap, the blonde princess smiling as she helped fix the younger girl's hands into the same shape.

"Through my window my sugar lump  
Fly through my window my sugar lump  
And find molasses candy."

The three sang together as Iduna watched the two with a loving, prideful gleam in her eyes as both of her little girls flapped the wings of their little 'birds'.

"Now, who knows one more bird?" the brunette woman asked, her fingers gently brushing through Elsa's hair as she quickly piped up. "I do! A whip-poor-will!"

"What does a whip-poor-will say, my little snow princess?"

Elsa giggled at the endearing name her parents had always called her by. Pausing for a moment as her tongue ran over her lips, the young girl's smile fell away to a look of concentration as she puckered her lips together. A small, airy whistle managed to ring out, breaking here and there, but it was a feat of accomplishment to the princess all the same.

"Oh, very good, Elsa." the Queen praised, the girl beaming up at her before they sung on, their voices ringing out through the room.

"Whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will fly through my window  
Whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will fly through my window  
Whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will fly through my window  
And find molasses candy."

Iduna held her two daughters against her, gently swaying them along with the melody of the song.

"Through my window my sugar lump  
Fly through my window my sugar lump  
And find molasses candy …"

The trio fell silent as the song came to an end, the woman hugging her two precious girls against her as they sat in silence.

"…I don' like molassases candy." Anna suddenly spoke up, bringing a laugh to bubble up Iduna's chest as Elsa's giggled beside her.

"Me neither." the blonde sister agreed, making a face of disgust before a series of giggles shook through her.

"Well, then, I suppose we should ask the little birds to find something else, hm?"

"Chocolate!" the sisters declared in unison, their laughter and giggles echoing throughout the room.

"Oh, my. Chocolate?" the Queen asked, grinning down at the two girls in her lap. "Then, how about _my_ two little birds go find some?" Soft grey-blue eyes flickered from one child to the other as wide, smiling eyes both looked up at her. It was hardly a moment later that they were wiggling out of her grasp, climbing off of the window seat as they darted to the door. "Be sure to ask Gerda nicely, girls!" she called after the squealing sisters, warmly smiling before the sweet chirp of a sparrow floated in through the window, drawing her gaze away to look out at the glistening waters of the fjord.


End file.
